Radio control device



May 9, 1939. E. L. LEHNUS I 2,157,291

Y RADIO CONTROL DEVICE Filed Aug; 10', 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

May 9, 1939. E. 1.. LEHNUS 2,157,291

RADIO CONTROL DEVICE I Filed Aug. 10, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I v w ATTORNEY.

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Patented May 9, 1939 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RADIO CONTROL DEVICE Edward L. Lehnus, Plover, Iowa Application August 10, 1937, Serial No. 158,366

2 Claims.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an automatic radio control device for use in combination with radio receiving sets that may be pre-set to automatically turn on and tune in a number of radio transmitting stations at predetermined periods of time.

A further object of this invention is to provide an automatic radio control device that may be pre-set on a plurality of radio transmitting frequencies and is automatically timed to turn on the radio set, tune the tuning unit of the set to the desired station and turn off the set after a pro-determined length of time.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a station and time selector apparatus for radio receiving sets that is compact, is readily applicable to any radio receiving apparatus, and that is foolproof in its construction.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an automatic radio receiving control device that is economical in manufacture, and durable in use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my device showing its construction.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan View of a portion of my device showing the timing mechanism.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged rear view of the panel portion of my device and more fully illustrates its construction.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side sectional view of the panel of my device and is taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side sectional View of the control panel more fully illustrating the selector handle assembly.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of my control panel showing the finger switches for turning the radio receiving set on and off.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged side plan view of tion of the tuning selector.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged side sectional view of the friction clutch and drive assembly of the tuning unit.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of the wiring diagram more fully illustrating the function of my device.

a por- Substantially all radio receiving sets now in general use have variable condensers for tuning the radio set to the desired frequency of various radio broadcasting stations. It is well known that such condensers are usually manually controlled by a dial knob, thereby making it necessary for the listener to not only turn the radio set on. but to manually set the dial of the set on a iven station at a given time to receive the broadcast the listener wishes to hear. Obviously, this requires the personal and constant attention of the listener as to the exact time and a. knowledge of the dial setting in order to receive the desired transmitting station. Usually it is the case that the listener to the radio receiving set has a schedule of the various broadcasts transmitted from several stations and desires to skip from one station to another at pro-determined intervals in order to receive a favorite program at that time.

This necessitates keeping an accurate check on;

the time and knowing the exact location on the dial pointer of the desired radio station. Such attention required of the listener is objectionable and many times the user of the radio receiving set forgets the time, thereby missing the program or programs that the user desires to hear. Furthermore, the listener sometimes has to hunt for his desired station, thereby missing part of the program. I have overcome such objections by providing a device that will automatically tune and control the radio receiving set as desired to cover any given period of time and a great variety of varying frequencies of transmitted signals.

Referring to the drawings, I have used the numeral H] to designate the radio receiving apparatus of my device, having an electric lead line I I in communication with one side of a source of electrical energy and the numeral 12 designates the other electric lead line as shown in Fig. 9. The numeral l3 designates the time contact disc of my device which is rigidly mounted in a predetermined position, having on its face surface about its peripheral edge a plurality of saw tooth projections I4. Secured to each of the face portions of these projections l4 are the contact plates l5 which are secured to this surface by means of a bolt, rivet or like for providing a connection between each of the plates l5 and an electric lead line I6. I have used the numeral 11 the shaft of the motor -I'! which is insulated from and secured to a second shaft 19 as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The numeral 29 designates a pointer or contact finger rigidly secured to the shaft 19 and extending outwardly so that its outer end portion contacts the plates l5 as the clock motor I! moves it about the face portion of the disc l3. This spring contact 23 has its outer end portion in substantially the shape of a truncated triangle in section so that it will ride on the face of the contacts l5 and in dropping off of the edge of one of the projections for contact with the succeeding contact plate i5 will not bridge between two of the contact plates I5. This contact arm is connected, through the medium of a bearing or like, with an electric lead line 2| which is in communication with one side of a source of electrical energy.

The numeral 22 designates the control panel of my device, having cut therein a plurality of horizontal slots 23. The numeral 24 designates a flat metallic strip partially imbedded in the rearward surface of the control panel 22 adjacent one side of each of the slots 23. The numeral 25 designates a plurality of contact points also imbedded in the rearward surface of the control panel 22 spaced apart from each other and on the opposite side of the slot 22 from the contact bar or strip 24. Each of these bars or strips 24 are connected to the other end of each of the electric lead lines I6. I have used the numeral 26 to designate one of the selector handles of my device which rides on the face surface of the control panel 22 and has rigidly secured thereto a square shaft 2l which extends through the slots 23 as shown in the drawings.

Slidably embracing this shaft 21 is a metallic bridge 28 having a wedge shaped projection 2% on one of its side marginal edges. The numeral 3i designates a pin secured to the inner end of the shaft 21 extending rearwardly and having an enlarged head portion on its extreme rearward end. The numeral 3| designates a fiat washer on the rearward face of the bridge 28 slidab-ly embracing the pin 39. I have used the numeral 32 to designate a compression spring imposed between the enlarged head portion of the pin 30 and the washer 3| in order to force the bridge 28 in close contact with the rearward surface of the control panel 22. Thus as the control handle 26 is manually moved along the slot 23, the bridge 28 will close the circuit between the metallic strip 2 and one of the contact points 25. It will here be noted that the contact points 25 are positioned in line vertically and represent the selector setting for one particular transmitting station. These contact points 25 have each vertical row connected together by the contact looms 33 as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Obviously, any number of sets of these contact points may be used and each set is brought to a contact lug 33 so that they may be connected to the circuit. The numeral 34 designates a metallic strip in electrical communication with the lead line !2 of the radio receiving apparatus. Secured to each of the metallic strips 24 is a spring contact member 35 which has its other end in yielding contact with a lug connected to the strip 34. Thus when the manually operated control assembly is in contact between one of the contact points 25 and the strip 24, the spring contact 35 is in contact with the strip 34 for turning the radio receiver on and when the manually operated control operator is moved to the extreme left of the control panel, the wedge shaped projection 29 moves in under the spring contact 35, forcing it to an open position as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 6, thus breaking the connection to the radio receiver I0. I have used the numeral 36 to designate a disc element of insulating material having on its forward face a flange 31 and about its outer peripheral edge a contact strip or ring 38. This contact strip 38 is broken for a short distance at one point so that its ends are insulated from each other as shown in Fig. 1. The numeral 39 designates an electric motor having a shaft 40 to which is secured a flat clutch plate 4! as shown in Fig. 8. I have used the numeral 52 to designate a bearing bracket having rotatably mounted therein a shaft 43. To the outer end of this shaft is secured a pulley wheel 46. The numeral designates a square shoulder portion rigidly secured to the shaft 43 and on the other side of the bracket 42 from the pulley wheel 44. Slidably mounted on and embracing the square shoulder 45 is a sleeve 46 which has secured to its other end a clutch plate 41 having the usual leather or like face. The numeral 48 designates a clutch fork in contact with the rearward face of the clutch plate 41 in the usual manner and pivoted near its central portion to a housing '59 as shown in Fig. 8. I have used the numeral 50 to designate an electromagnet in communication with a suitable source of electrical energy for actuating the fork element 48 and moving the clutch plate 41 into engagement with the clutch plate ii when the magnet St is energized. The numeral desig hates a coil spring for returning the plate 41 out of engagement with the plate ll through the medium of the fork element 58 when the electromagnet 59 is not energized.

I have used the numeral 52 to designate a drive belt in operative contact between the pulley M and the flange 3'! for rotating the disc 36. The numeral 53 designates a bracket which has bearinged therein a shaft fi l. This shaft 54- is secured to the disc 36 and in contact with a contact strip 55 which is in electrical contact with the strip or contact rim 38 about the outer peripheral edge of the disc 36. The numeral 58 designates an electric lead line having one end in electrical communication with the bracket 53 and its other end in electrical communication with the electromagnet 56. I have used the numeral 51 to designate a shaft having one end secured to and insulated from the shaft 54 and its other end operating the rotor plates of an ordinary variable condenser or the like 53 having a 360 rotation as shown in Fig. '7. The numeral 59 designates a stationary insulated plate having out adjacent its outer marginal edge and through its face surface, a plurality of arcuate overlapping slots 88. The numeral 6! designates a plurality of spring contact arms each having one end secured by a bolt to the plate 59 and in electrical communication with the lugs 33 through electric lead lines 32. The other end of each of these spring contact members rides on the contact ring or strip 38 as shown in the drawings, and by loosening the bolts which secure these contact arms to the plate 59 and moving the contact arms in the slots 6G, any position of station or any degree of rotation of the condenser desired to bring a transmitting station into tune may be had. I have used the numeral 63 to designate the electric lead line in communication between the motor Il and the other side of the source of electric power.

The practical operation of my device is as follows: The spring contact members iii are adjusted so that when they are in position on the insulating gap in the ring 38 the variable condenser 58 is in an exact position for tuning in a certain transmitting station.

The knob or control handle 26 corresponding to a given time or period of time is moved by the user to a position over one of the contact points 25 corresponding to a certain transmitting frequency. As the pointer or contact arm 20 is rotated by the timed motor I 1, the end of the contact point falls onto the contact plate l corresponding to the pre-set position of the control knob 26. This makes an electrical contact from the electric lead line 2| through the contact arm 2!], through the lead line 35, the strip 24, the bridge 28, the contact 25 and thence through the lug 33, the lead line 62 to the contact BI. This closes the circuit through the contact ring 38, the strip 55, the bracket 56, thus starting the motor 39. This operation causes the electromagnet 50 through the medium of the fork element 48 to bring the clutch plates 4! and 41 into frictional engagement with each other, thus actuating the pulley 44 and rotating the disc 36. When the contact point Bl reaches the insulated gap in the ring 38, the completed circuit will be broken, thus immediately breaking the engagement between the clutch plates 4| and 41 and stopping the rotation of the disc 36. As the contact arm 6| has been pre-set at a certain degree of rotation of the condenser 58, the desired station Will be correctly tuned in at a pre-determined time or until a circuit is made through another of the manual control elements to another contact arm 6|, which re-tunes it to the next selected frequency and time desired by the user of the radio receiving apparatus.

Thus it will be seen that my device may be set to cover a great period of time and to automatically tune in a variety of stations at any given time period, turning the radio receiving set on or off at pre-determined intervals, thus obviating the necessity of the listener paying constant attention to the radio receiving set. The time of corresponding slots 23 is etched or placed on the front of the control panel 22 and the position of the contact points is indicated to the user by the vertical lines on the front panel 22 as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

For purposes of illustration, I have provided about the disc I3, 48 of the contact plates l5. Thus each plate corresponds to approximately 15 minutes of time so each of the slots 23 correspond to 15 minutes of broadcast. Accordingly, when it is desired to pre-set the radio for any period of time, the first control knob can be set to one of several stations and although I have shown 10, any number can be arranged for. The next preceding knob or handle 26 can be set on the same station or changed to another station and so on for the entire twelve-hour period. If the knob or handle 26 is pushed to the extreme left of the control panel 22, that 15 minute or like period will be silent. In other words, the radio will be turned off until such a time as the contact rotates to one of the contact plates 15 that can bridge through one of the bridges 2B and complete the circuit. Accordingly, any variation in incoming signals may be had at any predetermined time continuously or with periods of silence in between. As the contact points Bl of my device are adjustable, changes in the selection of stations may be had from time to time as Well as taking care of a change in frequency of either the receiving or transmitting apparatus. Furthermore, when one of the contact points BI is in the circuit causing the disc 36 to rotate and that contact reaches the insulated gap in the rim 38, the magnet 50 immediately releases the arm 48 and stops the rotation of the disc 36 by disconnecting the pulley wheel 44 irom the motor drive. This prevents the inertia of the motor from running the disc past the frequency setting of the incoming signal so that it will always stop on the signal and in the center of resonance. My device is compact and efiicient and operates the entire radio receiving set when once it is set without fm'ther attention from the user.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my improved radio control device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included Within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a radio receiver comprising, a tuning means and a power circuit, a plurality of circuits each adapted to tune said receiver to a predetermined frequency, a plurality of time control circuits, means to interconnect each of said latter circuits with each of said first mentioned circuits comprising a plurality of members each havin an off-position and a plurality of selectively settable positions; said power circuit being under the control of a plurality of spring switches, each of said switches being operable by one of said members when in off-position to open said power circuit.

2. In a radio receiver comprising, a tuning means and a power circuit, a plurality of circuits each adapted to tune said receiver to a predetermined frequency, a plurality of time control means for interconnecting each of said latter circuits with each of said first mentioned circuits comprising a plurality of manually controlled members each having a plurality of selectively settable positions; said power circuits being under the control of a plurality of switch members, each of said switch members being operable by one of said manually controlled members when in an off-position to open said power circuit.

EDWARD L. LEHNUS. 

